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Zam Zam Water Is Safe, UK

The Council of British Hajjis (the CBH) would like to reassure pilgrims consuming the holy water Zam Zam is safe and to refute the recent BBC report claiming otherwise.

A spokesperson for the CBH - a leading UK national charity working for the welfare of British pilgrims, expressed their concerns on the BBC report and advised "Pilgrims must be aware that Saudi Arabia does not export Zam Zam water for commercial use. It is available free to all pilgrims who visit the holy city of Makkah (Mecca), Saudi Arabia. Those selling Zam Zam water in the UK should be reported to Trading standards for them to investigate. It is also unclear if those selling the holy water to be the genuine Zam Zam water, and for these reason to stay clear of purchasing it. As an advisory, those bringing back the holy water should store the Zam Zam bottles in a dry area with no direct sunlight hitting the bottle just as you would with any other bottled water".

A spokesman for the Saudi embassy said: "Zam Zam water from the Zam Zam well in the Holy City of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, is not contaminated and is fit for human consumption and genuine Zam Zam water does not contain arsenic.

"The water was analysed and tested in March this year by the Group Laboratories of CARSO-LSEHL in Lyon, which is licensed by the French Ministry of Health for testing drinking water."The March report said: 'According to drinking water standards in France and based on the analysis conducted on the samples of Zam Zam water, this water is fit for human consumption."'

The spokesman added that "pure" Zam Zam water was collected, bottled and distributed by King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz's Zam Zam project, which was supervised by the Saudi Ministry of Water and Electricity.

In a letter dated 22/8/2005 sent by the Saudi Embassy to the Food Standards Agency, the contents of which confirm that Saudi Arabia does not export Zam Zam water for commercial use. As such it will be a matter for the UK authorities to deal with companies and individuals as to how they are managing to sell such items, to check that it is Zam Zam and not some tap water sold on false pretences and for the consumers to understand the severity of the issue and not to purchase Zam Zam in the UK. For as long as there is demand, people will exploit consumers for monetary gains and there is no guarantee that the water being consumed is genuinely Zam Zam.

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